This is a big ole' scoop of pudding. Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel, Rahm Emanuel's brother, is one of the people helping Obama formulate his health care policy. The following excerpt is taken from a 1996 article written by Dr. Emanuel for The Hastings Center:
"This civic republican or deliberative democratic conception of the good provides both procedural and substantive insights for developing a just allocation of health care resources. Procedurally, it suggests the need for public forums to deliberate about which health services should be considered basic and should be socially guaranteed. Substantively, it suggests services that promote the continuation of the polity-those that ensure healthy future generations, ensure development of practical reasoning skills, and ensure full and active participation by citizens in public deliberations-are to be socially guaranteed as basic. Conversely, services provided to individuals who are irreversibly prevented from being or becoming participating citizens are not basic and should not be guaranteed. An obvious example is not guaranteeing health services to patients with dementia. A less obvious example Is is guaranteeing neuro-psychological services to ensure children with learning disabilities can read and learn to reason."
In short, be a contributing member to the greater good or risk being left in the cold. As usual with the liberals, some are less equal than others.
2 comments:
There is nothing in that excerpt to indicate that Dr. Emanuel approves of the thinking described. He is merely laying out what a specific perspective IS. If we can no longer engage in intellectual thinking and writing, it won't matter for long who gets health care -- our civilization will be done for.
Are you ready to go back to the dark ages?
I urge you to read the entire article. You'll find this excerpt to be his conclusion on who should receive basic/discretionary services and what services should be defined as basic/discretionary.
I'm not ready for the dark ages, but our President seems determined to take us there.
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